The Sire Bond
by DelenaDJ
Summary: PART OF MY CROSSOVER COLLECTION. Sire bond, schmire bond. Did the Salvatores really seek out the right person for information on that infamous bond that set hearts ablaze with angst? Maybe Elena is just the push Damon needs to reach out to an old friend.
1. Runaway

_Sire bond. This is such a load of bull,_ Elena thought as she began to clean up the wine bottles from the sleepover she'd had with the girls last night. _Stupid Caroline, stupid Stefan. If Damon really buys this, I might just wring his neck. _Elena then sensed Damon walk in the room and lean against the doorframe.

"Hey," she said, not looking over at him.

"Hey back."

"How was your night?" she asked finally turning around to look at him.

"Awful. Yours?"

"Same."

"Elena, um...we need to talk."

"I know that I'm sired to you, Damon." He then stopped walking toward her and looked up in surprise. "Caroline told me. That's what you and Stefan were doing, wasn't it? Trying to find a way to break it."

"Not exactly. Which is why we need to talk."

"Tyler told me the bond doesn't affect how I feel, just the way I act. My feelings for you haven't changed, Damon. Nothing has changed."

"Everything has changed, Elena."

"Okay, fine, yeah, I mean, I've changed. So have you, Damon. And I'm happy. Just like you were yesterday morning before we knew about any of this."

"You know what would make me happy? To know that this entire time that I've been completely in love with you, that what you actually felt for me was real."

"It is real. I know that it is. Damon, I know what you're about to do. Please, don't do this to me." She walked closer to him until they were merely inches apart.

"I don't want to do this, Elena. I'm not the good guy, remember? I'm the selfish one. I take what I want. I do what I want. I lie to my brother. I fall in love with his girl. I don't do the right thing. But I have to do the right thing by you." Elena took Damon's hand and placed it against her heart.

"Does this feel wrong?" Damon looked at her in silence. Elena then placed one of her hands against Damon's cheek. "Does this feel wrong?" Damon leaned his head against Elena's.

"No," he whispered as he played with the strands of her hair. "But…" Elena placed a finger on his lips.

"Shh. Just let me talk. I know you've gone on a road trip with Stefan and I'm sure he's played on all your insecurities and filled your head with all kinds of exaggerations and half-truths and lies. Because lately that's all he's seemed to be doing. Lying. He's so obsessed with this damn cure that he refuses to face the fact that I don't want it."

"You…you don't?"

"No. Not if it means sacrificing Jeremy's humanity. And being a vampire…it's given me the courage to say the things I never did when I was human. I couldn't even think about going back now. I have to keep moving forward and I can't be with a guy who's only in love with one part of me, the human part. A guy who looks at me like I'm a broken toy that has to be fixed. You love me no matter what or who I am. With you, I'm free. I'm the Elena I used to be."

"I don't want to have to analyze everything I say to you, hoping it doesn't become some freaky sire command thing to you. I've seen it before, Elena. I had a vampire sired to me."

"Damon, don't you think it's a bit odd that right when we get together, after everything we've been through, that Caroline and Stefan, who have never supported our relationship, come up with some bullshit mystical theory? Consider the source. Who did you speak with on your trip that's got you so tied up in knots?"

"A witch in New Orleans. She said that the bond will influence you to do whatever I tell you and that the only way I can break it is to release you and never see you again." Elena paused for a moment.

"Let me get this straight. You went to a witch who knowing your reputation probably doesn't like you and you automatically believed whatever she said?"

"She was convincing."

"Damon! Please tell me you didn't leave New Orleans without getting a second opinion. Please tell me you didn't automatically believe what this witch said was fact just because she confirmed your own insecurities."

"Um…" Elena heaved a sigh.

"This is ridiculous. I'm calling Bonnie. Maybe she has something in her grimoire."

"Bonnie won't know about it."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because if you want to find anything out about vampire history New Orleans is the best place to go. It's like the melting pot for anything supernatural and creepy."

"I take it you have someone in mind who could provide us with a second opinion?"

"Yeah, I do," Damon smirked. Elena then grabbed her coat. "What are you…"

"I'm coming with you."

"Elena, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Damon. I'm coming with you because if I stay one more minute in this town I'm likely to rip your brother's and Caroline's head off. This involves me too."

"Okay. Just don't blame me when your phone blows up."

"I wouldn't dream of it." The couple then left for the Crescent City and like Damon anticipated Elena's phone was blowing up with text messages and phone calls from Caroline and Stefan, arguing that Elena should be nowhere near Damon. Bonnie and Jeremy on the other hand had been supportive. Bonnie and Shane had figured out a way to get Jeremy's hunting instincts under control and were working to help him, giving Elena the opportunity to relax a bit about her brother.

That night in New Orleans, Damon pulled the Camaro into the French Quarter at a large taupe building which featured a sign with an M with a snake wrapped around it.

"What is this place?" Elena asked.

"The Abattoir. The home of the vampire that rules the French Quarter. Should have checked in with him when I was here anyway. We're good pals."

"And he knows about sire bonds?"

"He'll know or he'll know someone who does know. Come on." They walked into the courtyard of the building and Thierry jumped down from the balcony.

"Damon," the man greeted.

"Thierry." They hugged. "Where's the boss man?"

"Yo, Marcel! Look who dragged his ancient ass back after all this time."

"Damon, my favorite vampire," Marcel grinned as he walked down the stairs. "Good to see you, brother. Hmm. And who is the lovely lady?"

"This is Elena."

"I'm his girlfriend." Damon couldn't even verbalize the giddiness he felt at Elena calling herself his girlfriend.

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elena. About time this one settled down. Come on. Let's have a drink. It's been a long time." They walked upstairs into Marcel's study and the vampire poured some glasses of bourbon. "I heard you were in the Quarter."

"Yeah. Yesterday. With Stefan."

"Ah, your buzz kill brother. I also heard you had a little talk with Nandi."

"Does nothing escape you?"

"When it comes to witches? Nah. What'd you want from her?"

"Information on sire bonds."

"Hmm. Sire bonds. Haven't seen those since Charlotte? You really messed her up."

"Yeah. Tell me about it."

"Well, Nandi isn't exactly a reliable source of information. She hates vampires."

"I told you, Damon. Do you know anything about them?" Elena asked.

"Let me guess. You're sired."

"Everyone keeps telling me."

"I know a little bit about them, but I think you'd be better served by an expert."

"Who?"

"The Red Queen," Marcel smirked.

"You're kidding," Damon growled. "She's still kicking?"

"900 and counting. She can tell you all you want to know about them."

"She's here?"

"You know she likes to be where the action is at. She lives here."

"We need to speak with her then," said Elena.

"Whoa. You new?" Marcel laughed.

"She's newly turned," Damon replied.

"Damon, you've really got to better educate your vampires. Miss Elena, you don't just speak with the Red Queen." Elena looked at Damon and he sent her a look, signaling he'd explain it later.

"Tell her I want a meet. I'll take care of all the formalities. Oh, and I ask for permission."

"Granted. I'll set everything up here in the study. Come by around ten." Elena and Damon then left the compound.

"What was that about?" Elena asked when they got back into the Camaro.

"Marcel is the head honcho in these parts. In the big cities, it's typically tradition for a vampire or a family of vampires to rule that city in the shadows. Those vampires that drift and eventually want to settle down approach the head vampire of a city and ask for permission. I figure we're going be here for awhile if the Red Queen is involved."

"Who is she and why were you so freaked out about her? I've never seen you like this."

"Emmalina Rothschild aka the Red Queen is nothing but a pain in the ass."

"Wait. Rothschild as in _the _Rothschilds?"

"Yup. She's…ancient and very old school," said Damon when he parked the car at the Palace Royale hotel. "Which is why it's a good thing I always keep this in my car." He opened the glove box, revealing a black bottle.

"Alcohol? Seriously, Damon?"

"What? Marcel was right about one thing. You don't just speak to the Queen. There are rules. Always bring a gift being one of them."

"You call her the Queen, why?"

"I don't call her the Queen. That's what history calls her. According to legend and adding in what I've learned about Originals over the past year, Emma was turned by Kol. Well, with the Mikaelsons constantly running from daddy dearest there wasn't much time to rule over vampire society and bring order to a chaotic world. So there was a big battle between all the first generation vamps that were sired by the Originals. It was physical, it was bloody, and it was nasty. Emma won the title: The Red Queen. In effect, she rules over the vampires. She doesn't do much though. Just mete out a little vampire punishment when that one idiot gets turned who tries to expose us all. She's more of a figurehead, but that doesn't mean you don't show her respect. You follow the rules or you get your head cut off or your heart ripped out or staked…"

"I get it. How did you meet her?"

"Sage introduced me. They were good friends. So no mentioning…"

"How Sage met a desiccated end when we killed Finn?"

"Exactly. Alright, we need to change. Emma doesn't take well to casual clothing when you want favors. She's very proper."

When ten o'clock rolled around, Damon and Elena had changed clothes, Elena wearing a dark blue dress and Damon in a suit without a tie. They walked down to the Abattoir where the club had opened. It was packed with humans and Damon noticed the vampires lining the walls licking their lips. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you're here," said Marcel.

"Seriously? This is what you do now? Vampire feeding frenzy?" Damon asked.

"Hey, when my guys are happy, I'm happy. She's upstairs. Good luck. You'll need it." They walked up the stairs and entered the room where a female vampire with auburn curls drawn into an off shoulder ponytail was looking out the window, a black and taupe dress hugging her curves. She held a glass of scotch in her hand.

"Well, it seems vampires still have some manners. You weren't late," said the English voice.

"For you, my Queen, never," Damon replied. Emma turned around and quirked a brow. Damon bowed and Elena followed suit by curtseying. "I have brought tribute." He revealed the bottle of alcohol. Emma gasped.

"Oh, you didn't. Black magic wine," she giggled as she took the bottle. "I haven't seen this in ages."

"Well, you did task the Salvatore family with cultivating it. The vineyards in Italy have finally produced a bottle. I've been saving it for a special occasion."

"Hmm. The recipe for this wine is the best one I've created, temperamental, I admit, but absolutely delicious. Made from Clarion Loess Black Magic grapes and grown in complete darkness. With a black velvety, dark, delicate taste, it's the only thing that'll get me smashed. Not to mention, it's a wonderful substitute for blood. I am very pleased, Damon. I forgive you for killing Sage." Damon looked up in shock. "Come now. You know I know everything. Who is your friend?"

"My girlfriend, Elena."

"Ah, right. The sired. Marcel has told me all about your little predicament. I take it you've come to New Orleans to find a way to break a sire bond."

"You would be correct, my Queen," Elena replied.

"Hmm. I like her. She has manners. Most new ones don't and I end up killing them for such a lack of vampire etiquette. Let's have a seat and enjoy this wine. The formalities will no longer be necessary. You've shown respect to your Queen." Damon and Elena then relaxed. Emma popped the cork of the wine and poured it into three wine glasses before joining Damon and Elena at the table.

"Wow. This is really good," said Elena, taking a sip.

"Isn't it?" Emma smirked. "So sire bonds. Tell me what you know about them and I'll fill in the gaps."

"I spoke with a witch, Nandi. She told me that they could only be broken by me releasing Elena and never seeing her again."

"That is true, but as expected your witch didn't tell you everything. First, I have a question. Damon, have you tasted her blood since the transition?"

"No. What does that…"

"If you do, the sire bond will turn into a two-sided bond. I take it that you have control over Elena's actions. If you drink her blood, the same will happen for her. She can control your actions."

"Great. This just gets better and better," Elena dead-panned.

"Let me start at the beginning. A sire bond is a link formed out of the purest of love, quite unlike the sire bonds of those abominations of Klaus'."

"You know about Klaus and his hybrids?" Elena asked. Emma sent her a look. "You know everything. Got it."

"The bond is at its strongest when the sire is within the presence of the Sired. When a human loves a vampire and is turned by that vampire's blood, they may experience the sire bond due to the emotions that are amplified by the transition. They do their best to please their sire. It doesn't influence feelings, only actions. It's often hereditarily passed down through a vampire bloodline."

"What about breaking it?" Damon asked.

"It is the most sacred of bonds. You shouldn't break it," Emma emphasized.

"Emma."

"Alright. There are a few ways. As mentioned by your witch, you could order Elena to forget about you and move on. Elena, you could switch off your humanity which by the expression on your face, I take it that's not an option. The best way in my opinion is to override the power of a sire bond by creating a blood bond."

"What? No way!" Damon growled.

"Just listen," Emma argued.

"Emma, I can't."

"What's a blood bond?" Elena asked.

"Glad you asked," Emma smiled as Damon pouted. "A blood bond is a powerful physical and spiritual connection between a vampire and their mate. It's intended to take place within romantic relationships of any kind. It opens a communication channel, enabling the pair to locate each other and to sense each other's thoughts and emotions. As the elder, Damon, you'd be able to share your powers with Elena who has yet learned all our little tricks."

"That'd be great," Elena smiled.

"We can't do it," said Damon.

"Why?"

"It's the vampire equivalent of marriage."

"I take it you've just started dating," said Emma. "Very well. I have a more temporary solution then." Emma walked to a box by the window and pulled out a small brown leather satchel. "I anticipated such a reaction and prepared this for you, Elena. It's a mixture of herbs that can lessen the power of the bond. They're mostly calming agents. The sired vampire's blood is typically very unstable if a sire bond is present. These herbs will instill stability. Boil them with water. When you run out, come back to the Abattoir and I'll provide you with more until you figure out what you want to do about the sire bond on a more permanent basis."

"What's in this?" Elena asked as she smelled the satchel.

"Hmm. Kidney vetch, wormwood, marigold, cornflower, devil's claw, hogweed, lavender and for flavor peppermint. Don't worry. I use this on myself. It works. Listen, there's no reason to fear a blood bond. You won't be able to enthrall the other with it. You'll only become mildly uncomfortable when not around the other. You'll feel each other's love, be able to read each other's emotions. If you do decide to proceed with the blood bond, you must drink each other's blood at the same time on three separate occasions. A mark will appear on your neck. The symbol for infinity and it will grow more intricate until the blood bond is complete. In my opinion, you should do it for no other reason than to prevent another from bonding you to them. You may be a vampire, Elena, but you're still a doppelganger. People will take advantage of that. Whether a human or a vampire, individuals will still seek your blood. A blood bond protects you from that."

"How do you know all this? It's like you have…"

"Personal experience?" Emma asked. "I do. I have a sire bond with Kol Mikaelson. When Klaus daggered Kol, it caused me unspeakable pain. The same would happen to you if Damon was ever killed. For decades I roamed the world on the verge of insanity until I was brought back from the brink by Marcel. He and I are blood-bonded."

"Wait, you and Marcel?" Damon asked.

"It's not like _that._ Kol will always hold my heart. Marcel did it to save me from killing myself. We're good friends. I know I've left you with a lot to think about so if you want to know anymore, feel free to come to me. No formalities necessary." The trio then walked out of the study and looked over the balcony.

"Please don't tell me you partake in this," said Damon, referring to the humans on the dance floor.

"What? Killing humans for sport? Please, Damon. That's beneath my dignity. It's bad taste." Damon and Elena then left just as Marcel approached Emma. He handed her a bouquet of orange lilies, tulips, roses, delphinium, and amaryllis.

"Kol sends his regards," said the man.

"Such a sweet man, my love. How close are they?"

"The young Salvatore grows closer to discovering the cure."

"Well, I can't exactly kill him. He is my good friend's brother. Let this play out. Plant the evidence in Nova Scotia. They won't stop until they find it so I'll have to deal with them personally."

"What about the Hunter? He's the girl's brother."

"Well, then I'll make sure not to kill him either."

"That's quite unlike you."

"Well, one if I kill him, I'll suffer suicidal delusions for my eternity. And two, I like her."

"Do you think they'll do it?"

"In the end, yes. They're like Kol and I. Twin flames. They won't be able to live without the other. They just need time and for vampires, well, we have all the time in the world. If you'll excuse me, I believe I'll call my husband and thank him for the flowers."

When Damon and Elena returned to their hotel room, they were in the middle of an argument.

"No, Elena. It's not even an option."

"Why the hell not?"

"You don't get it. It's like marriage."

"What are you saying? You don't want to marry me?"

"NO! That's not what I'm saying."

"Then why don't you clear it up for me!" In a rush, Damon kissed her.

"Oh, you infuriate me, woman, but I love you all the same. It doesn't have to do with you."

"Wait, feel emotions. This has to do with you. You're scared. Damon."

"Blood bonds make you vulnerable in ways you've never imagined." Elena leaned her head against his, stroking his hair.

"I'd never want to hurt you in a million years."

"I know. I love you. You know I do, but I'm not ready for that yet and I don't know if I ever will." Elena sighed.

"You waited for me for the longest time so I'll take these herbs and I'll wait for you…until you're ready."

"How can you trust what you feel for me is real?"

"Because I felt like this on the bridge before I died. I loved you then, Damon, and I love you now. No sire bond or blood bond or Stefan or Caroline will change that. Stefan was my right now, but you're my eternity." And with that, his lips smashed down on hers.


	2. Chasing Cars

Elena and Damon stayed in New Orleans for days. Days which turned into weeks of enjoying the company of Marcel, Emma, and their vampires. In the process of exploring their relationship, Damon and Elena had both chucked their phones, annoyed by the incessant calling of Caroline and Stefan. Of course, Elena being Elena insisted on them getting new phones and only giving the numbers to Bonnie and Jeremy with strict orders to not release the information to anyone. On a particularly balmy New Orleans night, Marcel, Emma, Damon, and Elena were enjoying a fresh batch of blood. Elena had taken remarkably well to drinking from live humans and understood why Damon had always pushed her to drink live. The power was unbelievable. Suddenly, Emma dropped her human to the ground and the others looked up from their meals.

"Emma?" Elena asked. Emma appeared to choke and coughed up blood.

"No," she cried.

"That human didn't have vervain in his system," said Damon. Emma coughed up more blood.

"Kol. KOL!" she cried. Marcel immediately jumped into action, bit his wrist, and fed Emma his blood.

"Some idiot killed Kol Mikaelson. And by the extreme reaction, I'm guessing dead-dead this time," Marcel explained. "The sire bond is pulsing through her. My blood will calm her. Last I heard Kol was in Mystic Falls. Why don't you see what you can find out?" Marcel picked Emma up and took her to rest in her bedroom.

"I don't understand," said Elena to Damon. "If Kol's dead, why isn't she?"

"Emma's special, Elena. Somehow in her transition into a vampire, she kept her witch abilities. It must make her immune."

"Let me call Jeremy. He must know what's going on." Elena pulled out her cell and dialed her brother.

"Hey, Elena," said Jeremy, out of breath.

"What did you do?" Elena asked.

"Um."

"Jer."

"Don't give me that tone and it's not like I was given much of a choice. Stefan made me do it." Marcel then walked in, overhearing the conversation. He plucked the phone out of Elena's hand.

"Made you do what?" he growled.

"Who the hell is this?" Elena and Damon looked at each other in alarm.

"Marcellus Gerard, head vampire of New Orleans and your sister's lovely host. I won't ask again."

"Kol Mikaelson is dead."

"I assumed that much when his wife collapsed. Now why don't you explain to me the whole situation before I come to Mystic Falls myself and rip your arms off. Seeing suicidal delusions of killing myself would be better than seeing the Red Queen suffer."

"Stefan wants the cure for vampirism. He plans on force-feeding it to Elena. I've been trying to fight him, but he had Bonnie, my girlfriend. He made me kill Kol."

"Then he knows where the cure is."

"Yeah. He's on his way with Caroline to get it and then they're going to New Orleans. They know Elena and Damon are still there. They forced Bonnie to do a locator spell." Marcel then hung up.

"Marcel…" Damon began.

"I don't blame you," Marcel said immediately. "But you know I can't control her. She's going to do what she's going to do and she won't let anyone stop her."

"How is she?" Elena asked.

"Devastated. Kol was trying to deter your friends from seeking the cure. Once he was done, he was going to come here, pick Emma up, and they were going to go to the south of France. Renew their vows."

"I feel like this is all my fault," Elena sighed.

"It's not. It's my stupid ass brother," Damon growled.

"Marcel, may I speak with her? I know a thing or two about loss."

"Be my guest." Elena then walked up the stairs to Emma's bedroom.

"Hi," Elena greeted. Emma just continued to look up at the ceiling. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Emma murmured. "I always knew one day his impulsiveness would get him killed. How did it happen?"

"Stefan is obsessed with getting a cure for vampirism. So is my former best friend, Caroline. I'm guessing they want to force me to take it now. My brother's a Hunter as you know. Stefan took my best friend, Bonnie, hostage and used her against Jeremy. He made him kill Kol to kill his whole sire line to reveal the map that leads to the cure."

"So my husband lost his life because of a ripper's obsession. I cannot even verbalize how much I want to rip Stefan's kidney out and feed it to him. I want to bathe in his blood." Elena looked down. "But I shall not." Elena looked up, surprised. "He is Damon's brother and Damon is my friend. But the pain in my heart won't cease."

"Emma," Damon said, entering the room. "If you want to punish him, do it. He needs to learn he can't always get what he wants."

"Oh, I shall punish him and you both will be my witness. Please leave me. I'm tired." Elena and Damon both nodded and left the room. Marcel walked in moments later.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Marcel asked.

"One way or the other we'll meet again. It is my truest desire."

"Very well." Marcel kissed Emma's forehead. "I'll leave you to rest and prepare."

More days passed and with each passing day, Damon and Elena grew more anxious. What was Emma going to do? What were they going to have to watch her do? They then heard the news. Stefan and Caroline had been captured coming into New Orleans, looking for the cure which had not been in Nova Scotia, but a message had been sent through a witch to Stefan that the New Orleans coven was in possession of the cure. When Damon and Elena arrived at the Abattoir, they saw Stefan and Caroline vervained and their hands chained to the wall. The courtyard was filled with vampires, including Damon and Elena.

"Brother?" Stefan groaned as he and Caroline came to.

"You've finally bitten off more than you can chew, brother. As much as I want to, I can't save you from this." Stefan and Caroline then saw Emma sitting in a throne-like chair, her face stony. Marcel stood by her.

"You're…" he whispered.

"Yes. I am the Red Queen. Although I am more than just my title, I am the childe of Kol Mikaelson, his beloved wife."

"You're supposed to be dead."

"The magic abilities I possessed when I was human combat the vampire blood in my system that is trying to kill me. They're slowly absorbing the magic so I don't have much time left. Let's make this quick. You have killed my love and thus must suffer. The pain I feel you shall feel until your last dying breath."

"If you're going to kill us, then do it," said Caroline. Emma sped to Caroline and grabbed her by the throat.

"I don't kill people, baby vampire. I punish, I take away, I bring suffering."

"Hmm. So you're no different than Klaus." Emma banged Caroline's head against the wall.

"Caroline, shut up. You have no idea who you're talking to," Stefan growled.

"For days, I've cried until my body relinquished all its tears. All that is left is the hard shell of a woman who is dying inside. You eviscerated me, Salvatore, and for that you will pay. I believe I hold the object you desire?" Emma then produced a small vial from her dress.

"The cure."

"You had it this whole time?" Damon asked.

"I obtained it several centuries ago and have kept it hidden. This is what you desire and I will ensure that you never have it. You will watch as your brother and former love fall more and more in love because you see I have seen their kind of love. It's the same love I have for my husband who you killed."

"Jeremy…"

"Don't you dare, you little worm," Emma hissed as she grabbed his throat. "It's very helpful to have the sister of a Hunter in this coven. She keeps you honest. Well, let's get this party started shall we?"

"What are you going to do? Destroy it?" Stefan asked.

"Oh no. I have something better in mind." Emma removed the cap from the vial and drank it.

"NO!" Stefan and Caroline yelled. Damon and Elena watched in shock as Marcel closed his eyes.

"Humanity. It's just like I remembered. Utterly disgusting," said Emma as she felt the decay of vampirism leave her body.

"Why would you do that?" Caroline asked.

"You two have taken everything from me. You're awful people. You drove your brother and friend away. I've taken away the object you desired as you took away what I loved. And now I will do something selfish, something you both will be eternally responsible for. You two will become the most hated vampires in existence because you produced the events that have led to the last chapter in my story for I now have nothing left to live for." Emma produced a dagger. "I lived for centuries without Kol. I refuse do it again. I promised him an eternity together. If that means I have to join him on the Other Side, so be it. Say goodbye to your cure." Emma stabbed herself with the dagger and she kneeled on the ground as she began to bleed out. Marcel grabbed her, holding her in his arms as she died. Blood pooled on the floor as the life left her. Elena buried her face in Damon's chest and he stroked her hair, both helpless in the events that had transpired. No vampire would dare defy the will of the Red Queen, no matter how much they wanted to feed her vampire blood.

"Marcel," Emma whispered as she stroked Marcel's cheek.

"Sleep, Emmalina," Marcel replied, attempting to hold back tears, but failing. "Join him in eternal sleep. You deserve it."

"I did love you. Take care of them. Guide them. Goodbye, Marcellus, my second love." Life then left Emma's eyes. Hatred then shone through Marcel's eyes at Caroline and Stefan.

"You did this. You both are responsible for this. From here to eternity, you shall never be allowed entrance into my city. If I so much as catch a whiff of you, I'll kill you. Sorry, Damon."

"Do as you wish," said Damon. "It makes no difference to us." Marcel's vampires then approached Stefan and Caroline, itching to snap their necks.

"Elena!" Caroline yelled. Elena shook her head. "We're your friends."

"No. Friends don't do this," Elena replied. "They don't…" She began to cry. "I can't do this, Damon."

"Come on. Let's go."

A few hours later, Damon and Elena were lounging on the bed of their hotel room. The comforter had been thrown off the bed from the morning's activities. Currently, Elena was lying on Damon's chest in between his legs, wearing his shirt. Damon, shirtless, stroked Elena's hair as he looked into the fireplace in their bedroom suite. He closed his eyes when Elena traced imaginary patterns on his chest. This was their routine, their new normal, and Damon wouldn't give it up for anything.

"This is nice," Elena whispered.

"It is nice. Quiet, nobody to tell us what to do, no cockblocking brothers." Elena chuckled.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant."

"I don't want to go back."

"What about Jeremy?"

"I already talked to him about it when you were in the shower. He's going to live with Matt until he graduates. Then he's thinking of joining us down here, going to college. Him and Bonnie pretty much can't stand Stefan and Caroline after all they've done. They want to get out of Mystic Falls as soon as possible. I can't do it anymore, Damon. I can't be the person who tries to hold it all together anymore. I can't be this perfect image of a girl who died long ago. And I know it's awful. I'm abandoning my brother." Damon kissed her head.

"Shh. You know, I wasn't the greatest brother in the world, but I did try to take care of Stefan when we were human. Wasn't easy and it's okay if you can't do it. I'm certainly not going to judge you. Everyone deserves a break once in a century."

"I love you," Elena smiled.

"I love you." They laid in each other's arms for a few moments, enjoying each other's company.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"If anything ever happened to me…" Damon smiled. He knew exactly what she was asking. This whole thing with Emma and Kol was bothering her.

"I'd be the first one to drive a stake through my heart."

"Same for me."

"We're hopeless."

"Yeah. What are we going to do? Now that she's gone I won't be able to get anymore of those herbs and I know that's a horrible thing to think about right now, but…"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"In the road?"

"Yeah. I saw you and the first thing I thought was…this can't be Katherine. It's impossible. Because the first thing I saw when I met you was my future. If these past few weeks have proven anything, it's that I don't want be without you, especially knowing this sire bond didn't create your feelings for me. You loved me before you turned. I know I'll screw up and you'll slap me and we'll fight, but…" Elena rose up, beginning to realize what he was alluding to.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Me neither. So I guess what I'm saying is that in this crazy world where immortality doesn't seem to mean all that much, I don't want to waste a second without knowing that you are mine, that Elena Gilbert is my wife."

"Really?"

"Really. Besides, it's not like I haven't done crazier things. If I'm going to be hitched to anyone, I want it to be you."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"Not possible in this moment." They kissed and kissed until Damon pulled the sheet up over them, hiding them from the rest of the world.


End file.
